Case Studies: Case Study 4

Discussion

  • Clotting of blood specimens may be caused by several factors. Clotting usually occurs due to improper phlebotomy technique,and clotted specimens will generally be rejected for those tests that require the blood to be mixed with an anticoagulant. When a clot forms in a tube containing anticoagulant, it usually indicates that the blood and anticoagulant aren’t in proper balance. That is why it is crucial to invert tubes with anticoagulant almost immediately after collection to ensure proper mixing of blood and anticoagulant.
  • Relevant topics:
  • Lavender top tubes, Light blue top tubes, Unsatisfactory specimens: Clots, Causes of clotting

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